Popular game may be pulled from sale

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Popular computer game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas may
be withdrawn from sale in Australia over hidden sex scenes.

The Office of Film and Literature Classification is considering
changing the game's classification after the US manufacturer
confirmed there were sex scenes in the retail version of the
game.

The issue came to light last
week when a freelancer released a software "mod" making it
possible to view the sex scenes.

US authorities yesterday gave the game an adult rating.

The game was released in Australia in October with an MA 15+
rating, as it contained "medium-level animated violence and
medium-level coarse language".

But as there is no R rating for video games in Australia, a
change of classification would force its withdrawal from sale.

A spokeswoman for the OFLC said that investigations were
continuing and that a conclusion would be reached by tomorrow.

The US Entertainment Software Rating Board changed its rating
after Take Two Interactive, the parent company of the game maker
Rockstar Games, confirmed the existence of the sex scenes.

Rockstar Games said it no longer made the current version of the
game and was producing a new version. It said it would provide new
labels to any US retailer willing to continue selling the version
currently on store shelves, which is rated "M" for mature.

Take Two Interactive said the sex scenes had been built into the
PC version and also those written for Xbox and PlayStation2
consoles.

Company officials had previously suggested that a modification
created by outsiders added the scenes.

The sex scenes have prompted outrage from parents' groups and
politicians in the US.

When the issue came to light, the mod's author - Patrick
Wildenborg, 36, of Deventer in the Netherlands - said his code
merely unlocked content that was already included.

"If Rockstar Games denies that, then they're lying and I will be
able to prove that," Mr Wildenborg wrote in an email to AP at the
time. "My mod does not introduce any thing to the game. All the
content that is shown was already present on the DVD."